Lucky Irish winner Conor Murphy back to Cheltenham - wants to raid the bookies again

The Irish stable lad who cleaned out the bookies with a million pound win last year is back at Cheltenham – this time as an American based racehorse trainer.

Corkman Conor Murphy won a maximum $1.5million on an $80 five horse accumulator at last year’s festival.

The bumper win allowed the 29-year-old to give up his job as a stable lad with English trainer Nicky Henderson, move to the States and set up as an aspiring trainer in Kentucky.

He is back for the 2013 festival, which begins on Tuesday, as a spectator and with one eye on entering some horses in the future.

Murphy told the Irish Independent: “Cheltenham last year was an absolute dream. It was great to get a helping hand.”

“It was hard though to give up the job with Nicky. The horses there were the best I’d ever worked with and probably will ever work with. They were a dream.”

Conor has since bought a house in Louisville, Kentucky, and is currently renting a barn at the Skylight Training facility.

He added: “It was great to be able to buy a home without a mortgage and get going without having to watch every penny.

“I’m working as hard now as I did in England. You have to keep He has also bought a few horses of his own to sell to clients, including ‘a really nice horse’ called Di-mension, and Bronterre, who he has already sold a half share in according to the paper.

He joked: “I haven’t blown all my money yet, I’m still searching for a winner.

“I’d love to be at home or in England training jumpers because jump racing is a passion, but the opportunities are better over in America.”

He has already put some bets down for this year’s Cheltenham festival.

Murphy said: “I’ll be in Cheltenham for the week. I’ll have a few bets on. Last year was a one off, but you have to try again just in case. You never know.”